


I'll be home for Christmas

by bea_weasley



Series: OTP Advent Calendar [23]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Muggle, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, F/M, OTP Advent Calendar, Spending Time Together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:21:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28260831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bea_weasley/pseuds/bea_weasley
Summary: Remus was used to pass the date alone, but this doesn’t mean that Lily was going to let him stay all by himself
Relationships: Remus Lupin/Lily Evans Potter
Series: OTP Advent Calendar [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2032237
Kudos: 9





	I'll be home for Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Christmas Eve Eve! 🎄 this is the last Remus/Lily and I hope you enjoy this as the others 
> 
> Based on this prompt: There’s no way I’m letting you spend Christmas alone

**_I'll be home for Christmas_ ** ****

* * *

Remus Lupin was used to being alone around Christmas. After he had moved to his own flat, his parents always went to his grandparents' house, and he stayed at his place, reading or watching something on Netflix. Since he liked to have some alone-time during this season, he hadn't cared too much, but that was before he had met Lily Evans.

He had met Lily at a library during a poetry reading night, and they had hit it off, conversing as if they had been friends for a long time. They had started out as friends, but Remus had mustered his courage and asked her to be his girlfriend a few weeks before Christmas, and the only thing Lily had said to him was, ‘ _ Took you long enough’ _ before she had kissed the life out of him.

Remus knew that Lily was going to spend time with her family, happy that her sister was coming home for the first time in years, and he was happy for her. When she asked him what he was going to do for Christmas, he changed the topic to what  _ she _ was going to do for Christmas instead; he didn’t want to tell Lily he was going to spend Christmas all by himself, especially not when she was so happy for being with her family.

“I hope you’re having a nice time, dear, you deserve it,” Remus said over the phone, listening to Lily gush over what was happening at her aunt’s house.

“It’s nice to see everyone, you know? And Tuney is here, and we spent the last half hour talking, and it was like we were little girls again!” Lily said with a soft voice, making Remus smile. “Except that now we can drink wine while we talk to each other.”

“So I can expect a call from a drunken Lily in a few hours?” Remus asked, amused, and hearing Lily’s laughter on the other side made everything better.

“I didn’t drink that much, Remus, so don’t worry,” Lily said, still smiling. “How is everyone at your place? Your parents already arrived?”

Remus blanched, not having prepared anything to say to her if she asked about it — and knowing Lily, it was foolish of him to not have thought about it. Lily sensed his hesitance and became worried about him.

“Remus? Is everything alright? What’s happening?” Lily asked, sounding worried, and Remus didn’t like to hear it in her voice. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing, Lils, it’s just...” Remus trailed off, not knowing what to say to her or even if he  _ wanted _ to say something to her.

“You can tell me, Remus, you know that.” Lily was being understanding, and it broke Remus' resolve of not telling her.

“My parents aren’t coming to my house because they’re at my grandparents' house, and I’m used to it already,” Remus said softly, trying to gauge Lily’s reaction. “I’m used to spending Christmas all by myself, and that’s what’s happening here.”

“What? What are you telling me? That you’re at your place all alone?” Lily screeched into the phone, making Remus pull it away from his ear.

“I’m used to it, Lils, and quite frankly, I prefer it,” Remus said, trying to calm his girlfriend down. “I like to be alone at Christmas; it gives me a sense of peace that I can’t find anywhere else.”

“There’s no way I’m letting you spend Christmas alone!” Lily practically yelled over the phone, making Remus look in disbelief at it. “My aunt’s house isn’t far away from your flat, so I’m coming over.”

“Lily, what? No, you  _ can’t _ !” Remus said, trying not to panic.

“Why not? And give a damn good reason why not, Remus John Lupin!” Remus winced, realizing how angry she was at him, but he couldn’t help but smile at the way she threatened him with his full name. “And don’t you dare smile at me now!”

“I wouldn’t do something like that, honey,” Remus said, trying to disguise the smile on his face. “But you can’t abandon your family, it’s Christmas eve!”

“That’s the exact same reason why you shouldn’t be alone right now!” Lily said, and Remus could hear she was moving. “I’m coming to your place, and I’m not going to listen to a 'no' for an answer.”

“Lily, you can’t leave your family! And you told me you were drinking with your sister, so you can’t  _ drive _ .” Remus tried to reason with her, but she didn't listen.

“I’ll call an Uber! I’m coming, Remus, and you can’t argue with me. I’ll see you in a bit.” 

Lily hung up, and Remus started to feel divided: on one hand, he was grateful that Lily was coming to see him so that she could make sure he wasn't alone, but on the other hand, he was guilty that she was abandoning her family on Christmas Eve for  _ him _ . Sighing, he stood up from the couch and started to tidy his flat.

* * *

Forty minutes later, Remus’ doorbell rang, and when he opened, Lily threw herself at him, and he finally let out the breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. Holding Lily in his arms was the best Christmas gift he could have ever received.

“You  _ came _ ,” Remus breathed into Lily’s hair, hugging her fiercely. “You _ actually _ came.”

“Of course I came! Did you think I wouldn't?” Lily smiled and kissed Remus’ cheek. “Instead of standing here in the doorway, why don't you invite me inside?”

Remus chuckled and brought her in, closing the door behind them; Lily gasped at what she saw in the living room. Remus had put up some fairy lights on the bookshelves and in the windows, making the room look ethereal. Since he had assumed he would be alone, he hadn't bought a tree, but he made sure to hang the lights just to feel like it was Christmas.

“What do you think? Did you like it?” He shuffled his feet and rubbed the nape of his neck.

"Remus, this is  _ beautiful _ !” Her eyes shone as she ran to hug him again. “You did this for me, didn’t you?”

“Yeah… I couldn’t let you miss Christmas because of me,” he said, hugging her with all his might. “Merry Christmas, Lily, and thank you for being the present I didn't know I needed.”

“Merry Christmas, Remus, and  _ you’re _ my present too,” Lily said, beaming and standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.

Remus may have liked to spend Christmas with only his books for company, but he couldn’t deny that having Lily by his side was making it the best Christmas ever.


End file.
